Raw mushrooms. Good for you ?

I just love raw mushrooms of all varieties and eat some most days. I'll sprinkle them with lemon or vinegar; salt and soured cream; or dip them in garlic mayo. A colleague suggests that these are not doing me any good, but I always thought they were in the healthy eating bracket. What are the facts ?

Raw mushrooms ... I lurve them. Also like them cooked with just about everything. Mushrooms are high in nutritional value and also have antibacterial qualities as well as many beneficial medicinal properties. Just be careful if you are picking in the wild because unless you really know your mushrooms it's easy to make a mistake and pick something that will be harmful.

In terms of fibre, fat, calories etc, they probably are healthy but I have recently noticed in some supermarkets the advice to cook all mushrooms before eating. Others label specific types as to be eaten cooked only. Either way think about what they are grown in and wash them well...having said all that, I like raw mushrooms too and have since childhood.

Hmmm- I'd rather take my chances with raw wild mushrooms than ones commercially grown. Every year I buy some bags of mushroom compost for my garden from a mushroom farm and it is recognisably the by product of a horse with added straw. I haven't eaten a raw mushroom since!

I love mushrooms both raw and cooked However, their nutritional value is very low (that does not mean that they are bad for you). The only problem with raw mushrooms is the same a with any other raw fruit/veg - you don't know who has touched them, where they have been etc. Wash them thoroughly.

Gef you are a mine of misinformation. It is a myth that mushrooms have low nutritional value. They are high in protein, contain vitamins A & C & B3 and essential minerals like phosphorous, magnesium, potassium and solenium. They are a good source of fibre. They contain no fat or cholesterol and are low in sodium. As for your advice to wash mushrooms thoroughly I would suggest that just the opposite is what is required otherwise they will absorb more water which will impair the quality. Brushing with a soft bristle brush or wiping with kitchen paper is the best method of preparation.

Raw mushrooms make you very happy - they have a particular chemical that sends happy messages to the brain (can't remember what they are called). But ensure you wash them thoroughly as mushrooms grow surrounded by manure like strawberry's so be diligent. Incidentally, although banana's have lots of goodness in them, they are a 'sad' brain food.